Why Liqui-Styp is a superior first-aid product for on-the-go

Our unique Liqui-Styp, is an ingenious solution to having first-aid available when it is needed... on-the-spot triage for minor mishaps!

The composition of combining common ingredients, embodied in an innocuous,  compact and convenient "lip-gloss" style dispenser, and has a variety of first aid uses...

• Hiking or biking--where skinned knees and elbows are inevitable
• Camping (especially for bug bites or poison ivy etc)
• Around the kitchen in the knife drawer
• By your vanity or tub for those inevitable self-inflicted  shaving mishaps

Carry one in your pocket, purse, make-up kit, and keep one in your auto just in case For on-the-spot treatment of 

• Small shaving nicks, cuts and rashes
• Painfully annoying paper cuts
• Skin Rashes and blisters
• Insect Bites or stings
• Scrapes and abrasions
• Contact with skin irritants (like poison ivy, poison oak or other plants), or a variety of other common irritants including soaps, detergents, and cosmetics.
• Allergic reactions can sometimes be triggered by substances like nickel, latex, and certain plants-- some common examples include stinging nettle, ragweed, giant hogweed, wild parsnip, and certain types of thistles and saw palmetto. Additionally, some garden plants like marigolds, mums, baby's breath, and even tomato leaves can cause reactions in sensitive individuals. In some cases, skin reactions can be triggered by sunlight. While this product would work on sunburn, it is not of sufficient quantity to cover larger areas of the body... it is specific to smaller coverage areas. 

• As an analgesic  for pain relief , Liqui-Styp contains 5%  Lidocaine) as an active ingredient in addition to the soothing astringent qualities of the  Witch Hazel.   
• Aluminum sulfate when used on abrasions, rashes, or insect bites.
• Astringent (anti-itch):  Witch Hazel to relieve inflammation of abrasions, rashes or blisters by tightening the skin. Also effective to sooth and  relieve the itching from insect bites and irritants from plants, poison ivy or poison oak 
• Antiseptic:  Witch Hazel has been found to be extremely effective in suppressing bacterial pathogenesis, as well as containing germicides like alcohol, which possess mild antibacterial effects to disinfect a small wound.
• Aluminum sulfate also possesses astringent and antiseptic properties, contributing to its effect of contracting tissues and inhibiting bacterial growth.
• Galic acid:  A naturally occurring phenolic compound found in plants, fruits, and tea, and used in foods, dyes, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and healthcare, ink and paper as a , has shown antiviral properties, particularly against influenza A (H1N1) virus and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).  It can reduce viral load, inhibit viral replication, and even affect viral entry into host cells. Gallic acid's properties, such as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects, make it valuable in these diverse applications according to the NIH  
• Protecterant (a bandage-like film): PVP-90 (a specific grade of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) polymer, a water-soluble synthetic polymer) is a constituent of the Liqui-Styp composition. There have been a number of widely available liquid bandages on the market for some time, such as New-Skin and Bactine MAX, which use different active ingredients to create the protective film. For example, New-Skin uses benzethonium chloride and other inactive ingredients, while Bactine MAX Liquid Bandage contains lidocaine and acrylates copolymer. However, povidone-iodine, which is a complex of PVP and iodine, is used as an antiseptic solution that can be applied to cuts and wounds, similar to how one might use a liquid bandage to protect the area. In this case, the PVP acts as a vehicle for the iodine, which is the active antiseptic ingredient.

While Liqui-Styp does not claim to have tissue adhesive, the PVP-90 acts in a similar fashion. It is widely used in various applications due to its film-forming, binding, and adhesive properties. In cosmetics, it's a key ingredient in hair styling products, providing hold and stiffness. It's also used in skin care, forming a thin, protective film, which is ideal to forming a bandage-like protective film over abrasions or rashes or small nicks and cuts 

Commonly known as a styptic pencil since first used in 1905 for shaving nicks, and patented in 1908 -- aluminum sulfate pressed into a fat crayon-like stick--  aluminum sulfate has become the defacto "standard" in hemostatic agents used by manicurists for cuticle cuts and barbers that still perform straight razor shaves. 

As a personal commercial product, styptic pencils are vastly underutilized by men, and women. Primarily, because it inconvenient, unwieldy, abrasive to apply to a bleeding cut, it stings, and the blood must be washed-off the crayon, and it becomes messy. 

The Liqui-Styp updates this composition to the 21stcentury, in both the convenient carry-anywhere applicator, and the adaption as a first-aid composition that is useful for wider variety of conditions--- rashes, abrasions, and in neutralizing skin irritants.   

In 1954, a formula was invented containing aluminum sulfate in power form, in a composition with other chemicals that, once mixed with water converts the aluminum sulfate into aluminum acetate-- to make it convenient for soaks and broader application. Such composition was patented in 1954 as "Burows Solution",  and was marketed as an astringent for skin irritations and rashes. The powered substance requires the user to mix it with water before application, a terribly inconvenient and messy application, and people who purchase the various brands like the current market leader-- Domeboro...  offering "itch relief" for rash relief and medicated soak.  Anecdotally, this writer has found a box of Domoboro in his own medicine cabinet that has been there for between ten and twenty years... without ever being used. The convenience factor, is not to be discounted, nor is the spectrum of  limited applications as a medicated soak. . 

• Domeboro®: This is a widely  recognized brand that offers Burow's Solution in powder packets that can  be dissolved in water to create a soak, compress, or wet dressing. 
• Bluboro: Similar to  Domeboro, Bluboro also comes in powder form and is used for similar skin irritation relief.
• Pedi-Boro® Soak Paks:      Another option in powder packets, it is used for the temporary relief of minor skin irritation.
• Gordon's Boro-Packs:  This brand also provides Burow's Solution in powder packet form. 
• Dermeleve® serums and  anti-itch applications are steroid free, and contain many inactive natural      ingredients (supplements) that work as anti-itch ingredients, however all      their products contain only one singular active ingredient: .2% aluminum acetate as an  astringent. 

Burow's Solution: This is another name for aluminum acetate solution, often used in ear drops to treat infections like otitis externa.

Aluminum Acetate Solution: This can also be purchased as a generic or compounded solution for various topical applications. Burow's Solution (also known as aluminum acetate solution) is a topical medication used to relieve minor skin irritations. It acts as an astringent and mild antiseptic, helping to dry out moist skin conditions and reduce inflammation. Here are some specific uses for Burow's Solution:

• Relief of minor skin irritations:      It can be used to soothe itching and inflammation caused by insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, rashes from soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and jewelry.
• Athlete's foot: Burow's solution can help dry out and soothe athlete's foot symptoms,      often used alongside topical antifungal medications.
• Minor Cuts and Scrapes:  It can be used as a wet dressing or compress to promote healing and reduce the risk of infection in minor cuts and scrapes.
• Ear infections (Otitis):  Burow's Solution may be used to treat certain ear infections, particularly those caused by fungi (otomycosis) or chronic suppurative otitis media, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

OTC brands containing aluminum acetate solution  

Over-the-counter (OTC) brands all use aluminum acetate solution as their active ingredient as an active anti-itch astringent, as variations of the 1954 Burow's Solution patent.

It's important to always read the product label and follow the instructions carefully before using any OTC medication. In a medical or dermatological context, aluminum acetate (often found in products like Burow's solution) is a recognized astringent commonly used for the temporary relief of minor skin irritations,  including those caused by insect bites, rashes, and allergies. It acts by causing the skin's tissues to constrict, which helps reduce swelling and dry out wet or weeping lesions. This astringent action can contribute to relieving the itching and irritation associated with various skin conditions. Aluminum sulfate also possesses astringent properties, meaning it can cause tissue contraction. It is used in some topical solutions and has been shown to reduce allergic skin test responses by potentially altering allergens and reducing their ability to trigger reactions. However, aluminum acetate is the compound specifically recognized as an effective astringent for relieving inflammation and itching associated with various skin conditions, according to information from organizations like the FDA and medical references like Drugs.com. While both compounds are astringents, aluminum acetate is more commonly associated with providing anti-itch relief for the range of conditions where astringents are typically used topically. Aluminum acetate is even produced by combining aluminum sulfate and calcium acetate in water. For general anti-itch relief associated with typical skin irritations, aluminum acetate is a well-established and readily available option, often used in wet dressings or compresses. All of the Aluminum Acetate products are in "salts" that require hydrolization (mixing with water in a container), a less-then convenient task when the product is needed.